Pallets, typically in the form of a boxlike structure and having a flat top and slots or openings in the sides for receiving forks from a forklift of similar lifting device, are used in a wide variety of industries for storage, stacking and for transportation of goods. By some estimates, over five hundred thousand new pallets are produced each year and more than 2 billion pallets are in circulation in the United States alone.
In order to secure the stacked goods relative to the pallet for shipping and/or storage, it is common to use a shrink wrap or a stretch wrap. In view of the large number of pallets that may be used for any given entity, the use of a shrink wrap or stretch wrap can be very time consuming. Furthermore, as neither the shrink wrap nor the stretch wrap can be easily reused, it can also be very expensive and wasteful for entities that ship a lot of goods. In addition, although the shrink wrap or stretch wrap may be wrapped around the pallet itself during application to help secure the goods to the pallet, this can often interfere with the ability to transport the pallets using forklifts and the like.
While in recent years, it has been known to use reusable wraps, because of the flexible nature of the wraps, it is often difficult for individuals, especially those working by themselves, to apply the wrap around goods. Furthermore, the known wraps have not provided a reliable and easy means for securing the goods relative to the pallet.